JJ Harper
5 posts
Sep 05, 2014
9:45 AM
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For the last few weeks I've been hearing about a new mic element from Greg Human in California and then I saw this video on Youtube yesterday. It is something new but that sounds like a CR. The old Shure CM and CR elements are getting hard to find but this thing sounds great. Does anybody have any info about it?
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Pistolcat
694 posts
Sep 07, 2014
6:25 AM
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Hi JJ, Greg is a member here. I thought that he wanted to answer your question himself but maybe he's been busy. For now he only sells them with his custom mics (as I understand it). Do a forum search on 'heumann element' to see previous threads.
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Pistolkatt - Pistolkatts youtube
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Milsson
158 posts
Sep 07, 2014
7:50 AM
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He has been reluctant to explain what the new element are. I think he said it was because it was kind of new and experimental.
AND it's probably not a good idea to tell everything about it, from a salesman point of view i mean.
If i would do a "new" element i would make a custom diapraghm from piezeolectric pvdf film. I've never come around testing it out but i belive you could get a nice result.
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Greg Heumann
2821 posts
Sep 07, 2014
9:18 AM
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The Heumann Element is the result of my concern about the continued availability of good vintage elements. I did a lot of experimentation and came up with THE. You're right - I'm not giving out details - but basically this is a modern vocal mic element to which I am making both electrical and mechanical modifications. This approach gets around the huge startup and tooling investment that would be required to make a new element from scratch.
The element has great tone, lots of bass.
Right now, I am gathering pro opinions. Two early testers were Johnny Hoy and Ronnie Shellist, and BOTH had me swap in a THE for their black label CR's and they like it better. THAT is how good I think this element is. I am currently circulating a mic for more opinions. Charlie Musselwhite gigged with it twice and wants more time with it. David Barrett and Gary Smith have tried it. It is arriving today in Aki Kumar's box. When I get it back from him I will ask Mark Hummel and Rick Estrin each to try it as well. (How convenient to have all these guys in California!) Once I know what THOSE guys ALL think of it, I will be more confident in what I tell the rest of the world in terms of its tone.
I am ALSO negotiating now with the manufacturer of the element I start with- and needless to say - that takes time. I bought entire microphones to make the pro to units and needless to say that drives an arrow straight through the economic side of the equation.
FOR NOW - THE is available only in my wood mics, but once I have the above sorted out it will be available more widely.
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***************************************************
/Greg
BlowsMeAway Productions
See my Customer Mics album on Facebook
Bluestate on iTunes
Last Edited by Greg Heumann on Sep 07, 2014 9:20 AM
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JJ Harper
6 posts
Sep 07, 2014
9:56 AM
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Thanks
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garry
528 posts
Sep 07, 2014
7:44 PM
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I think it's great to have a modern sustainable element, vs. everybody relying on a diminishing supply of ancient ones. It never made sense to me that modern technology couldn't produce vintage tone.
Greg, I do hope you're protecting your intellectual property on this.
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Greg Heumann
2822 posts
Sep 07, 2014
10:15 PM
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There is unfortunately no way to protect it other than to try to keep how I do it a secret - which will be difficult.
I've already been through this with my volume controls. There is not enough rocket science there to warrant a patent (other than a design patent which only covers the physical appearance) - and a patent is just a license to spend money on attorneys if you need to defend it.
Someone once copied my Vintage Volume control and tried to sell them on eBay. He lasted about about a week. Anyone who makes them has to do the same stuff I do. Fabricate, inventory, manage vendors, assemble, market, take orders, ship, support - SO much to do. When they find out how much work it is they usually give up.
Between my pro relationships and my reputation which I've worked very hard to maintain for many years now - I think I will win the sale, all other things being equal.
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***************************************************
/Greg
BlowsMeAway Productions
See my Customer Mics album on Facebook
Bluestate on iTunes
Last Edited by Greg Heumann on Sep 07, 2014 10:17 PM
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Milsson
160 posts
Sep 07, 2014
11:05 PM
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We need a greg heumann to tell us that "new" mics can be used to. The vintageophilian maffia is going to tell you otherwise.
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garry
530 posts
Sep 08, 2014
6:12 PM
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You'd be amazed at how little "rocket science" is involved in many successful patents. But I understand it may not be worth the investment. At the least, keeping records to demonstrate prior art could be important to prevent someone else trying to patent it.
I agree that you have built a fine reputation for knowledge, quality, and integrity. You should be proud of that.
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mlefree
176 posts
Sep 10, 2014
4:44 AM
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Greg, I wonder, since the THE starts out as a vocal mic', is there any potential at all to make it switchable, vocal then harp and back?
If so you would have, in one moment, a harp mic' with the overdrive and compression we seek and the next an Audix Firebsll-equivalent with clean tone, suitable for vocals or as an "acoustic" harp mic' with more natural tone.
I think it would be the be all and end all of harp mics's!
Oh, and thanks for keeping us up with the times with all your cool innovations and for cultivating the fine reputation that we all now enjoy right along wichya (via your killer products)!
Michelle
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SilverWingLeather.com
email: mlefree@silverwingleather.com
Last Edited by mlefree on Sep 10, 2014 4:46 AM
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Greg Heumann
2824 posts
Sep 10, 2014
7:30 AM
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Hi, Michelle
No - this is not switchable. It is designed to replace vintage large-diaphragm elements.
There already is an excellent choice for people who want a single mic good for vocals and harp - it is the Ultimate 57!
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***************************************************
/Greg
BlowsMeAway Productions
See my Customer Mics album on Facebook
Bluestate on iTunes
Last Edited by Greg Heumann on Sep 10, 2014 7:30 AM
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blueswannabe
497 posts
Sep 10, 2014
8:42 PM
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greg, wish you luck on the element. ...great to see HI at work (Heumann Inqenuity).
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Harpin.J
1 post
Sep 11, 2014
10:33 AM
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So, Greg, just to be clear: I can order your new element if I order one of your wood mics? Is there a special note I need to add to the order or are they all coming with the THE installed?
Thanks!
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Greg Heumann
2826 posts
Sep 11, 2014
5:35 PM
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@Harpin J
You can order one of my wood mics and get The Heumann Element with it. I just can't tell you what it will cost yet! But you can put down a deposit to get a place in my build queue, and defer that decision.
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***************************************************
/Greg
BlowsMeAway Productions
See my Customer Mics album on Facebook
Bluestate on iTunes
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Harpin.J
2 posts
Sep 12, 2014
6:50 AM
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Thanks Greg! It might be about a week, but expect a deposit soon!
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Joe_L
2509 posts
Sep 13, 2014
1:14 PM
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Greg - Aki played through THE on Thursday. He let me play some through it, too. I thought it sounded great. I got some hellaciously huge tone through it. I could happily use that mic as is.
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The Blues Photo Gallery
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Greg Heumann
2831 posts
Sep 13, 2014
2:14 PM
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Thanks for the report, Joe!
So far Charlie Musselwhite, David Barrett, Gary Smith, Aki Kumar, Ronnie Shellist, Nic Clark and Johnny Hoy have played it. From Aki it will go to Rick Estrin who is agreeable to testing it as well, then ... more.
So far so good!
FYI - this video has been posted elsewhere but not here I think. Here are young turks Nic Clark and Jake Friel playing The Heumann Element through a Memphis Mini amp at SPAH:
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***************************************************
/Greg
BlowsMeAway Productions
See my Customer Mics album on Facebook
Bluestate on iTunes
Last Edited by Greg Heumann on Sep 13, 2014 2:20 PM
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